Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Brian Minchin Announced as New Executive Producer

Earlier this year, it was announced that Caroline Skinner had left her role as executive producer, which she had held since the 2011 Christmas special. The BBC has now announced that Brian Minchin will be filling her role alongside Steven Moffat.

Press release follows
BBC Cymru Wales has announced that Brian Minchin is to be the new Executive Producer of Doctor Who, alongside showrunner Steven Moffat.

Brian Minchin is an Executive Producer in BBC Wales drama, currently working on The Game, a new Cold War spy thriller from Toby Whithouse for BBC One, and Wizards Vs Aliens, Russell T Davies’ hit show for CBBC. He has also worked as BBC Executive Producer on Dirk Gently and Being Human.

Brian produced the RTS award-winning and BAFTA nominated series The Sarah Jane Adventures, as well as the UK sections of Torchwood: Miracle Day and was Assistant Producer on Torchwood: Children of Earth.

Brian, who grew up in Aberystwyth, joined the department in Cardiff in 2005 as a Script Editor working on BBC One Wales drama Belonging, before moving on to network dramas Doctor Who and Torchwood in the same role.

Brian says: “I'm thrilled and excited to be joining Steven Moffat on a show that has meant so much to me over the years. I've watched in awe as Steven has taken Doctor Who to wild and imaginative places and I can't wait to get started on many more adventures with the Doctor.”

Faith Penhale, Head of Drama Wales, says: “I've no doubt Doctor Who will enjoy a very exciting time with Brian at the helm working alongside Steven. Since joining BBC Wales in 2005, he’s proved he has a fantastic eye for story and a sharp awareness of what makes a drama like Doctor Who unmissable."

Steven Moffat, Lead Writer and Executive Producer, adds: "When I first took over Doctor Who, Brian was there as script editor, and in the most difficult time of a new Doctor and a new era, was completely brilliant. We lost him to producing The Sarah Jane Adventures at the end of our first run. Rising talent keeps rising, is how I comforted myself back then - but now I am beyond happy that Brian has risen all the way back to Doctor Who, in his new role of Executive Producer. I look forward to getting hopelessly lost in space and time with him."

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Doctor Who Future Continuity - Revision 2

So all of my speculation as to the future of the show appears to have been rendered moot by recent developments. I'm going to attempt to continue speculating based on new evidence.

So it appears now that the Fields of Trenzalore and all that good stuff is going to take place in the Series 7 finale. Moffat has already confirmed that "a lot of loose ends are going to be tied up." That probably means the Series 5, 6, & 7 story arcs are going to be concluded.

The 50th anniversary is probably going to raise some brand new question that the Doctor's going to have to answer (my money's on "who brought the Time Lords back to life?"). My guess it that the Christmas Special is going to touch on the subject, but is going to be more of an aside. I'm also guessing it's going to end in a cliffhanger that has the Doctor discovering some key piece of evidence, then rushing off to investigate it in Series 8.

Since filming on the Christmas Special isn't scheduled to begin until September, when we get Series 8 depends on whether they start filming that immediately after. If they begin filming of Series 8 immediately afterward, we might just get 13 episodes in a row starting in August. Alternately, we could get several episodes in spring and several more in fall (like Series 6). If they delay filming, we'll probably get a repeat of 2012/2013.

I still think Series 8 is going to be the final season of Matt Smith. He's more than likely going to regenerate in the series finale. That would actually make him the third longest-running Doctor of all time (after Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee). If he made it into Series 9 (which is unlikely) he'd be tied with Pertwee for second place. I really, really want him to be replaced by a woman, but that has almost no chance of happening (unless they hire me to replace Moffat).

Series 9 is probably going to serve as the introduction to the twelfth Doctor and the end to Clara's run. Series 10 will introduce a new companion to replace her.

This post is a revised version of this one.

BBC Interview with Jenna-Louise Coleman

BBC Entertainment did recent interview with Jenna-Louise Coleman on Series 7, the Clara mystery, and more.
I was really nervous that day. I think I had been on the show for five months by then, but I didn’t feel completely initiated, explains Jenna as she remembers stepping on to the TARDIS for the first time. For Matt, he got a brand new toy, but I was quite quiet.

But what is like to film on the most of the most famous sets in the world? It’s impossible to keep still while you’re in there as there is so much to look at and play with. It was a fun time for us to have our own little home to inhabit, she concludes.

As the series heads to the epic finale, which will spring board in to the 50th, more of the Doctor’s mode of transport will be revealed than ever before in the aptly titled Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS.  As Clara becomes trapped within the malfunctioning ship, pursued by a dangerous group of Time Zombies, it’s a race against time to escape before the TARDIS self-destructs. 
But what would she like to see at the centre of the time travelling box? I don’t think we should ever see what’s at the centre of the TARDIS as that’s the mystery. I like the sense of intrigue!

Heading from the TARDIS, the next episode sees Mark Gatiss return with The Crimson Horror, which will guest star on screen together for the first time Dame Diana Rigg and Rachael Stirling. I loved working with Diana Rigg, exclaims Jenna.  I loved the way she operated and carried herself, I was kind of just giggling the whole way through shoot. I just enjoyed having her around. It was great to sit back and watch how mother and daughter worked and their dynamic together, she concludes.

During this series, Jenna’s character has been faced with lots of new challenges, as she gets to grip with life travelling by the side of the Doctor. The finale, The Name Of The Doctor, will not only take fans to the place the Doctor should never go, but it will also solve the mystery around the impossible girl. Having remained tight-lipped about Clara, will Jenna be happy to finally be able to talk about her character? I am, I can’t wait! The finale story is such a fantastic idea; it’s epic and huge and filled with drama.

It was really exciting to sit down and read the script, she continues. There are little bits and pieces, which Steven planted a couple of years ago. It’s just really clever and a crucial moment in the Doctor’s life that you get to explore with the best baddies! I really think they are going to become another Moffat classic, she concludes.

Having had three official introductions as a Dalek, a Victorian governess and in her current form as modern day Clara Oswald, is there a teaser Jenna can leave us with?  All I can say is that Clara hasn’t just met the Doctor three times before...

BBC Interview with Matt Smith

BBC Entertainment conducted a recent interview with Matt Smith about the rest of Series 7.
Having already battled an Ice Warrior and seen off a ghost, the opening episode to the next run of four finds the Doctor exploring the depths of his own home, the TARDIS.  In Journey To The Centre Of The TARDIS, a spaceship salvage team drags the TARDIS on board, sending its systems into meltdown. As the Doctor marshals the motely salvage crew outside, he realises Clara is still trapped within his malfunctioning ship, pursued by a dangerous group of ossified monsters. He has just 30 minutes to find Clara and save his TARDIS before it self-destructs.

But what would Matt want to see at the centre of the TARDIS? I think what we’ve achieved in this episode is exactly what I hoped would be at the centre, explains Matt. It is a really interesting take on something that could have been quite obvious and it’s visually stunning.

Mark Gatiss returns to script-writing duty for The Crimson Horror and introduces for the first time on screen together mother and daughter, Dame Diana Rigg and Rachael Stirling. It was an intriguing and creative experience watching mother and daughter work together, explains Matt.  Dame Diana has had such an illustrious career and Rachael is a great actress, he concludes.   

The penultimate episode of the series in the show’s 50th year marks the return of one of the Doctor’s oldest foes, the Cybermen. Penned by Neil Gaiman, the Cybermen have been given a makeover – they’re faster and more deadly! Nightmare In Silver sees the Doctor travel to the greatest theme park in the galaxy, Hedgewick’s World Of Wonders... or at least it used to be. Now dilapidated, it’s home to a shabby showman, a chess-playing dwarf and a dysfunctional army platoon. When the Doctor, Clara, Artie and Angie arrive, the last thing they expect is the re-emergence of one of the Doctor’s oldest enemies.  The episode continues the run of stellar guest stars with Warwick Davis, Tamzin Outhwaite and Jason Watkins. 

While mystery surrounds the finale, we do know a couple of snippets. Firstly, that the Doctor will finally find out just what makes his new companion so impossible and secondly, he’ll be put to his ultimate test when his friends start to be kidnapped, leading him towards the one place that he should never go. Making the debut in this episode is a new foe, the Whispermen, which dressed in sartorial finery Matt considers a modern day classic with a brilliant style.  They’re truly terrifying! 

So is there anything Matt can reveal about the finale? With the 50th, this is going to be by far the biggest year in the history of the show. And the finale is just the start. It focuses on a pivotal moment in the Doctor’s life and the life of his companion. It’s a complete game changer and it all starts now.

The Name of the Doctor Synopsis

The BBC has released the synopsis for The Name of the Doctor.
Clara is summoned to an impossible conference call, alerting her that the deadly Whisper Men are closing in on Vastra, Jenny and Strax. Someone is kidnapping the Doctor’s friends, leading him toward the one place in all of time and space that he should never go. It’s a deadly trap that threatens to unravel his past, present and future...

Dame Diana Rigg on the Andrew Marr Show

Dame Diana Rigg, who plays Ms. Gillyflower on this week's episode, appeared on the Andrew Marr Show recently. She brought with her a new clip from The Crimson Horror.

Friday, April 26, 2013

BBC Interview With Steven Moffat

Here's a transcript of an interview BBC Entertainment did with showrunner Steven Moffat.
Question: Opening up the final part of this series we get to explore the Doctor’s time travelling machine in Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS, but what surprises can we expect?
Steven Moffat: We’ve already revealed that the Doctor has a swimming pool and the TARDIS has a problem with Time Zombies, but there’s much, much more than that.  We guarantee there will be surprises, but you’ll have to watch to find out exactly where we’ll be going as we finally explore beyond the console room.  

Q: Why did you decide to introduce creepy new monsters, The Whisper Men, in the last episode?  What was your inspiration for them?
SM: The great dilemma is that Doctor Who is never more like Doctor Who when it is introducing a new monster, but equally when it’s reviving a foe from the classic era.  Having brought back two of the classics, the Ice Warriors and the Cybermen, this year we wanted a brand new monster to create chills in the finale.  And the thought of stylish whispering almost faceless creatures was an idea that firstly scared me and that I thought would work well in an episode that looks forward and back.

Q: We know that the Cybermen return with an updated design, why did you decide to change them?
SM: One of the things that the Cybermen historically like to do before involving themselves in a new military campaign is run up a new outfit. Throughout the classic series they always changed their appearance and we’ve been very consistent with them.  I thought it was time that they went back to their tailor and had a re-model!

Q: How was it having mother and daughter Dame Diana Rigg and Rachael Stirling on set for The Crimson Horror?
SM: It’s obviously a great honour to have either of those actors on the show, but to have them acting together for the very first time on anything is quite extraordinary.  Only Doctor Who can do this and possibly only when Mark Gatiss is behind it.

Q: What can you tell us about the finale?
SM: It’s full of surprises and questions that have never been answered in the history of Who, including the Doctors greatest secret. We’re not pretending, we’re not kidding, it’s actually going to happen.  The episode is called The Name of the Doctor and involves our hero in a conflict that is very, very personal to him.  Usually he’s saving other people, but this time he might be the one who needs to be saved.  We’ll also find out what makes his new companion so impossible and there’s a surprise that no one has got right so far, and one that will change the course of Who forever!
Source

Journey to the Center of the TARDIS Spoiler Summary

Here is my weekly (sort of) spoiler summary for Journey to the Center of the TARDIS.

videos

teasers

The Doctor and Clara are aboard the TARDIS when it is brought onboard a salvage vessel. The salvage vessel damages the TARDIS and the Doctor locks the trio of brothers who run the vessel in the TARDIS and threatens to blow it up if they don't help him find Clara. Meanwhile, everyone's being chased by a horde of ossified monsters.

Introducing Journey to the Center of the TARDIS

Matt introduces this week's episode.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Regeneration DVD Set


A DVD boxset containing all ten of the Doctor's regenerations is being released on June 24th. It comes with a set of six DVDs, a limited-edition book, and an advance release of The Tenth Planet.

The first regeneration story, The Tenth Planet, has had its fourth part beautifully restored in animated form and will not otherwise be released until this fall. The book is adorned with photography and behind-the-scenes info on each of the stories from William Hartnell to David Tennant.


A list of the stories in the boxset includes The Tenth Planet, The War Games, Planet of the Spiders, Logopolis, The Caves of Androzani, Time and the Rani, Doctor Who: The Movie, Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways, and The End of Time.

The item is currently available for pre-order here.

Nightmare in Silver Synopsis

With the rate that these are being released at, we'll probably get the finale's in a week.
Hedgewick’s World of Wonders was once the greatest theme park in the galaxy, but it’s now the dilapidated home to a shabby showman, a chess-playing dwarf and a dysfunctional army platoon. When the Doctor, Clara, Artie and Angie arrive, the last thing they expect is the re-emergence of one of the Doctor’s oldest foes. The Cybermen are back!

Journey to the Center of the TARDIS: Second Clip

Second clip for Saturday's episode.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Monday, April 22, 2013